A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes receiving a substrate with two sections of conductors thereon that are adjacent to each other, and a valley between the two sections of the conductors, filling the valley with a first passivation material to form a passivation valley, applying a second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and the passivation valley and over the substrate, and removing the second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and the passivation valley, and the second passivation material over the substrate but not in contact with the two sections of conductors and the passivation valley.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: receiving a substrate with two sections of conductors thereon that are adjacent to each other, and a valley between the two sections of the conductors; filling the valley with a first passivation material; applying a second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material and over the substrate; and removing a portion of the second passivation material to expose the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material and leaving a passivation sidewall block of the second passivation material on sidewalls of the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material.
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure involves these steps: First, obtain a substrate that has two adjacent conductor sections with a valley separating them. Next, fill the valley with a first passivation material. Then, apply a second passivation material that covers both conductor sections, the first passivation material in the valley, and the substrate itself. Finally, remove some of the second passivation material to expose the top surfaces of the two conductor sections and the first passivation material, leaving a passivation sidewall block composed of the second passivation material on the sidewalls of the conductor sections and the first passivation material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the portion of the second passivation material comprises etching the second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material to expose top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material over the conductor sections, the first passivation material, and the substrate, and removing some of the second passivation material to expose the two conductor sections and the first passivation material and leave a passivation sidewall block, specifically removes the second passivation material by etching it away from the top surfaces of the two conductor sections and the first passivation material, exposing those top surfaces.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the portion of the second passivation material comprises etching the second passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors, the first passivation material, and the passivation sidewall block.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material over the conductor sections, the first passivation material, and the substrate, and removing some of the second passivation material to expose the two conductor sections and the first passivation material and leave a passivation sidewall block, specifically removes the second passivation material by etching the second passivation material that is overlying the two conductor sections, the first passivation material and the passivation sidewall block of the second passivation material.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the portion of the second passivation material comprises etching the second passivation material overlying the passivation sidewall block.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material over the conductor sections, the first passivation material, and the substrate, and removing some of the second passivation material to expose the two conductor sections and the first passivation material and leave a passivation sidewall block, specifically removes the second passivation material by etching the second passivation material that is overlying the passivation sidewall block.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the passivation sidewall block and top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material are substantially coplanar.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material over the conductor sections, the first passivation material, and the substrate, and removing some of the second passivation material to expose the two conductor sections and the first passivation material and leave a passivation sidewall block, produces a structure where the top surface of the passivation sidewall block and the top surfaces of the two conductor sections and the first passivation material are approximately at the same height (coplanar).
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and the first passivation material are substantially coplanar.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material over the conductor sections, the first passivation material, and the substrate, and removing some of the second passivation material to expose the two conductor sections and the first passivation material and leave a passivation sidewall block, produces a structure where the top surfaces of the two conductor sections and the first passivation material are approximately at the same height (coplanar).
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein filling the valley with the first passivation material is conducted by applying the first passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and in the valley, and etching a portion of the first passivation material overlying the two sections of conductors and exceeding the valley.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material, and removing some of it to form a passivation sidewall block, filling the valley with the first passivation material involves applying the first passivation material such that it covers both the conductor sections and fills the valley, and then etching away the portion of the first passivation material that extends over the conductor sections and beyond the valley area.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first passivation material or the second passivation material comprises a material made of undoped silicon glass (USG), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), silicon nitride (SiN), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), or benzocyclobutene (BCB).
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material, and removing some of it to form a passivation sidewall block, either the first passivation material or the second passivation material is selected from the group consisting of: undoped silicon glass (USG), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), silicon nitride (SiN), silicon dioxide (SiO2), or benzocyclobutene (BCB).
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two sections of conductors comprises a material made of aluminum, copper, or any combination thereof.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material, and removing some of it to form a passivation sidewall block, the two conductor sections are made of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, or any combination of aluminum and copper.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passivation sidewall block and the first passivation material form a T-shaped pattern.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material, and removing some of it to form a passivation sidewall block, the resulting structure is such that the passivation sidewall block (made from the second passivation material) and the first passivation material within the valley together form a T-shaped pattern when viewed in cross-section.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and a top surface of the first passivation material are substantially coplanar.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, filling the valley with a first passivation material, applying a second passivation material, and removing some of it to form a passivation sidewall block, the resulting structure has the top surfaces of the two conductor sections and the top surface of the first passivation material aligned to be substantially coplanar (at the same height).
12. A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: receiving a substrate with two sections of conductors thereon that are adjacent to each other, and a valley between the two sections of the conductors; forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top surfaces of the two sections of conductors, wherein the first passivation material has a first portion in the valley and a second portion on the top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and a top surface of the first portion of the first passivation material; applying a second passivation material overlying the second portion of the first passivation material and over the substrate; and removing the second portion of the first passivation material and a portion of the second passivation material to expose the two sections of conductors and the first portion of the first passivation material and leaving a passivation sidewall block of the second passivation material on sidewalls of the two sections of conductors and the first portion of the first passivation material.
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises: obtaining a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley; forming a first passivation material both in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections (creating a first portion in the valley and a second portion on the conductors); applying a second passivation material that covers the second portion of the first passivation material and the substrate; and removing the second portion of the first passivation material and part of the second passivation material to expose the conductor sections and the first portion of the first passivation material within the valley, leaving a sidewall block of the second passivation material on the sides of the conductor sections and the first portion of the first passivation material.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein removing the second portion of the first passivation material and the portion of the second passivation material comprises etching the second portion of the first passivation material and the second passivation material overlying the first portion of the first passivation material to expose the top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and the first portion of the first passivation material.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material overlying the first passivation material and the substrate, and removing portions of both passivation materials to expose the conductors and leave a passivation sidewall block, removes the second portion of the first passivation material and the second passivation material by etching, specifically targeting the second portion of the first passivation material that was covering the conductors and the second passivation material overlying the first portion of the first passivation material in the valley to expose the top surfaces of the conductors and the first passivation material within the valley.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein removing the portion of the second passivation material comprises etching the second passivation material overlying the second portion.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material overlying the first passivation material and the substrate, and removing portions of both passivation materials to expose the conductors and leave a passivation sidewall block, removes the second passivation material by etching, specifically targeting the second passivation material that is overlying the second portion of the first passivation material (the part of the first passivation material that was on top of the conductors).
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein removing the portion of the second passivation material comprises etching the second passivation material overlying the passivation sidewall block.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material overlying the first passivation material and the substrate, and removing portions of both passivation materials to expose the conductors and leave a passivation sidewall block, removes the second passivation material by etching, specifically targeting the second passivation material that is overlying the passivation sidewall block.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein a top surface of the passivation sidewall block and the top surfaces of the two sections of conductors and the first portion of the first passivation material are substantially coplanar.
The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material overlying the first passivation material and the substrate, and removing portions of both passivation materials to expose the conductors and leave a passivation sidewall block, results in a structure where the top surface of the passivation sidewall block and the top surfaces of the two conductor sections and the first portion of the first passivation material in the valley are substantially coplanar (at roughly the same height).
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the first passivation material in the valley and on the top surfaces of the two sections of conductors comprises reducing a thickness of the first passivation material.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material, and removing portions of the passivation materials, forming the first passivation material involves initially depositing a thicker layer of the first passivation material and then reducing its thickness, leaving some in the valley and some on top of the conductors before applying the second passivation material.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first passivation material or the second passivation material comprises a material made of undoped silicon glass (USG), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), silicon nitride (SiN), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), or benzocyclobutene (BCB).
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material, and removing portions of the passivation materials, either the first passivation material or the second passivation material is selected from a material made of undoped silicon glass (USG), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), silicon nitride (SiN), silicon dioxide (SiO2), or benzocyclobutene (BCB).
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the two sections of conductors comprises a material made of aluminum, copper, or any combination thereof.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material, and removing portions of the passivation materials, the two conductor sections are made of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, or any combination thereof.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the passivation sidewall block and the first portion of the first passivation material form a T-shaped pattern.
In the method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, which includes receiving a substrate with two adjacent conductor sections separated by a valley, forming a first passivation material in the valley and on top of the two conductor sections, applying a second passivation material, and removing portions of the passivation materials, the structure results in the passivation sidewall block and the first portion of the first passivation material forming a T-shaped pattern when viewed in cross-section.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
November 25, 2015
August 15, 2017
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.